Hand-truck



(No Model.)

J. FRBNETTE.

HAND TRUCK.

No. 522,202. Patented July 3, 1894.

K OQYG O xii/form UNZTED STATES PATENT Gretna.

JOSEPH FRENETTE, OF OHIPPEWA FALLS, WISCONSIN.

HAND-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 522,202, dated July 3, 1894.

Application filed March 6,1894. Serial Not 502,486. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSEPH FRENETTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chippewa Falls, in the county of Chippewa and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Trucks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The present invention has for its object to provide a hand-truck for warehouse andother purposes with an adjustable toe-section and.

a simple and efiective means'for operatingit, whereby the toe-section may be brought in position when required for use or rest flat upon the truck-frame as circumstances require.

The invention consists in a hand-truck provided with a pivoted toe-section and means for operating it, consisting substantially of a toothed rack and pinion, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a hand-truck with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 a longitudinal section thereof showing the toe-section, toothed rack and pinion in the position they would assume when the toe-section rests flat upon the frame of the truck.

In the accompanying drawings A represents the main bodyor frame of the truck provided with the usual handles a, legs b, stationary toe-piece or section 0, and wheels 01. The several parts above referred to are common with hand-trucks of this character and I have shown one of many forms of trucks to which my invention may be successfully applied, and therefore I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to any special form of truck and may be constructed with or with out the stationary toe-piece 'or section as found most desirable. i

My invention consists in the section B so that it will be enabled to swing up or down to bring it man elevated position as shown in full lines in the drawings or in a horizontal position as shown in dotted lines of Fig. 2. This toe-section B is rigidlyconnected to a transverse rod e, which rod is pivotally connected to the sides of the frame or pivoted toebody A of the truck in any well known and preferred manner. This'pivoted rod e has rigidly connected to it a suitable pinion C with which engages a toothed-rack D, where by the movement of the pinion on its axis will carry with it the rod 6 and toe-section B. The toothed-rack D is provided with abarE which extends longitudinally along the under side of the body or frame of the truck and terminatesin a suitable handlef for operating it. The bar E'is of sufficient length to extend to the rear end of the body or frame A whereby the handle f will be in convenient reachof the attendant.

The bar E is held in position by suitable guides g hconnected to the under side of the truck body or frame, and the bar has a longitudinal sloti for the reception of a stationary guide-pin and stop connected to the under side of the frame or body. This pin forms both a stop for the bar E to limit its forward and backward movement and also a guide to t e bar.

The bar E may be made integral with the toothed-rack D .or may be formed separate and afterward connected thereto in any well known manner and the toe-section maybe of 1 any desirable form and construction as found best adapted to the purpose.

The bar E serves as a lever for operating the toothed-rack D and by taking hold of the I handle f and pulling the'lever ina direction toward the handles of the truck frame or body, the rack and pinion will be in the position as shown in full lines and the toe-section B raised to anjelevated position necessary when the truck is to housed in moving light freight.

When the truck is required for moving heavy freight, itis desirable that the toe-section B should be lowered to rest flat upon the frame or bodyA so that it will not be in the way. This adjustment of. the toe-section B is accomplished by forcing outward in a direction toward the toe-section the lever E, which will force down to a horizontal position thetoe-section as shown in dotted lines Fig. 2, the toothed-rack D and pinion 0 assuming thepositions as indicated in dotted lines', thus enabling the truck to be used as an ordinary one.

When the toe-section B is in an elevated position, the stationary-toe-section or piece 0 forms a support therefor.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A hand-truck, a pivoted toe-section c011- nected thereto, and means for operating it, consisting of a toothed-rack andpinion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A hand-truck, a transverse rod pivoted to the sides of the truck-frame or body, a toesection rigidly connected to the rod, a pinion upon the rod, and means for operating the pinion, consisting of a toothed-rack and a hand-lever connecting therewith, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

J OSEPLI FRENETTE.

Witnesses:

M. P. LARRABEE, R0131". E. BRADFORD. 

